Recent Entries in Arts and Entertainment
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Carrie Brownstein Might Be Stalking You Right Now: Part Two of an Interview with the Wild Flag and Portlandia Star
This interview was contributed by writer Michelle NailCarrie Brownstein once listened to only Phish for an entire week. She wrote blog posts about it daily. She took pictures of the effect it had on her dogs, the stacks of Phish albums she acquired, and even of the people she met at a Phish fan meet-up. Why did she do this? Carrie is just...curious. And restless. And unable to sit still for too terribly long...but thank Jesus for that because where would we be without the current hipster-absurd awesomeness of Portlandia? This is part two of our chat with this musician, sass-talker, sometimes blogger, and new IFC TV star about Portlandia, her mad stalking skills, and why the feud between Austin and Portland just got real.
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Golden Bear, The Preservation, Girl In A Coma, and More?! [Show Previews]
If it feels like a glut of local-ish bands are storming the clubs this Halloween weekend, that's because they are. A cross-section of sorta spooky to downright cuddly groups are playing, giving your recess from the working week more than its share of rock options.
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Passport to the Underworld w/Pure X and Sleep Over [Show Preview]
Arguably one of the biggest acts to emerge from Austin's increasingly crowded garage/lo-fi scene, Pure X have developed a sound that is both familiar and instantly recognizable as their own. Their slow rock jams have gained them acclaim in many different publications, and they have even been profiled as representing the direction of Austin music in a controversial article in The Fader.
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Zola Jesus Gets Mad Smart on Philosophy, Free Will, and Art: An Interview with Nika Danilova
Zola Jesus may not necessarily sound like the name of a distinctly-styled potential star of the female persuasion, but once upon a time St. Vincent may have seemed a weird name, too. Zola Jesus, it turns out, is Nika Roza Danilova, a Wisconsinite of Russian background who majored in philosophy and whose booming voice, opera background, and goth leanings make her an artist to watch, not just in the future, but right now—for proof, look no further than her absolutely stunning new LP, Conatus (check this for what the hell that word means). Danilova will be performing this Saturday night at the Mohawk, and we thought this a good time to catch up with her not just about her music, but about how a self-described atheist who goes by the names of a French naturalist writer and Christ looks at the world.
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Halloween Cover Night with Shonen Knife, Shannon and the Clams, Good Head and Germ Free Adolescents [Show Preview]
How does one of the most influential and fun trios in the history of alt/indie rock celebrate Halloween as they enter their fourth decade of existence? In Shonen Knife’s case, they dress up as Osaka Ramones to headline what’s sure to be one of the season's most exciting cover band nights.
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Indie Picks: At The Movies This Weekend
The weeks ahead will bring new movies from Almodovar, Von Trier, Eastwood and Herzog, indicating the arrival of awards season movies to the area. If you're not in a post-Austin Film Festival coma after the last eight days, we've got a few good reasons to visit your favorite area theater this weekend!
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Bassnectar Beat Drops [Show Preview]
Still looking for something to do on the Saturday of this Halloween weekend? Bassnectar is playing a heart-stopping breakbeat dubstep show at the Austin Music Hall just for you. It is guaranteed to be a spectacle as Bassnectar usually tries to merge music, art, media with DJs, rappers and artists of all kinds on stage.
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Carrie Brownstein Wants to Expand Your Vocabulary: Part One of an Interview with the Wild Flag and Portlandia Star
This interview was contributed by Michelle Nail.Carrie Brownstein wants to tell you some things about her new band, Wild Flag: Wild Flag is not Sleater-Kinney and they prefer not to be labeled as a “super group.” Brownstein, one fourth of the band (along with Mary Timony, Rebecca Cole, and Janet Weiss) wants you to keep these things in mind when listening to the band’s breakout new album, Wild Flag. It’s good because it crackles and pops with guitar riffs and thundering bass and not simply because it’s four women that happen to look good behind their instruments. This is part one of our chat with this musician, sometimes blogger, one time-Phish listener, and new IFC TV star about the genesis of Wild Flag and the current state of music. Tune in tomorrow morning for part two, about Portlandia, Carrie’s mad stalking skills, and why the feud between Austin and Portland just got real.
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Just A Few Quick Q's with Architecture In Helsinki!
A decade ago, Architecture in Helsinki emerged as Australia's energetic indie-pop export. Once recognized as an enthusiastic eight-piece ensemble which cluttered the stage with instruments and band members, multi-instrumentalists Cameron Bird, Gus Franklin, Jamie Mildren, Sam Perry, and Kellie Sutherland have maintained all the spunk and charisma in a downsized focus showcased in their latest release, Moment Bends. As the band prepares to touchdown stateside for Fun Fun Fun Fest next week, Austinist recently caught up with Bird via email for a quick exchange.
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Gallery
Five Years of FFF Fest Photos - Part 1: 2010
Now that Fun Fun Fun Fest is all grown up and moved to South Austin, we surfed through Steve Hopson's photo archive to put together a five part look back at her preschool years. Up first is 2010, the year of The Casualties, Peelander-Z, RJD2, MGMT and "Weird Al" Yankovic. The series continues next week with Leftöver Crack, St. Vincent, Octopus Project, Shonen Knife, New Pornographers and Circle Jerks.
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The Noise Revival Orchestra Have a Video [Show Preview]
One of our more high-profile orchestral/rock acts in town, The Noise Revival Orchestra are hosting a performance at Lambert's to showcase a new video for their song "Songs Of Forgiveness," shot and edited by David Schulte. Songs of Forgiveness may make more sense as an album title, which it also is - the forthcoming album of the same name was produced by Danny Reisch.
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Louis Katz is Probably Morally Reprehensible: An Interview
Louis Katz tells dirty jokes for smart people. Or smart jokes for dirty people; take your pick. He’s like your grad student friend who blows all his student loan money on Rubenesque strippers. And uses “Rubenesque” in everyday conversation. His credits include appearances on NBC’s Last Call with Carson Daly Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, Jamie Foxx’s America’s Funniest Comics, and HBO’s Down & Dirty with Jim Norton. He also has a half-hour Comedy Central Presents special, and recently released his debut comedy album, If These Balls Could Talk. We chatted up Katz by way of bad internet phone line to discuss BBWs, time-traveling pimps and real-life David Lynch moments.
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AIDS Wolf, Henry and Hazel Slaughter, Gospel Truth [Show Preview]
Sharing Captain Beefheart's contempt for straight lines is Aids Wolf. These upstarts know how create some cacophony, exploding into every direction possible at the same time. The drums pound out their own padded cell terror, the guitar player pretends like this is his first day on the job, while singer Chloe Lum orgasmicly spills her psyche onto the floor at every performance.
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Gallery
St. Vincent at Moody Theater [Photos and Review]
After what seemed like a long wait, Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent, a.k.a. the object of every NPR-listening, vinyl-collecting indie boy’s desire, a.k.a. the recent creator of a record warmly wrapped in a choir of critical hosannas, finally walked out onto the dimly-lit Moody Theater stage.
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Getting Pretty Fond of Fx3 [Fun Fun Fun Fest Memory]
Somehow I overlooked the first couple of years of Fx3 as a transplant to Austin still elated and overwhelmed by the plethora of accessible live music available on the regular. But in 2009, I scored a cozy introduction manning a booth at the fest for a few hours one day in exchange for a weekend wristband. Why not, right? I had no idea what to expect and found myself pleasantly surprised by the laid back scene - not too crowded, manageable lines for beer/food, and a good mix of fans. I have since happily resigned any interest I once had in attending ACL for a yearly fling with Fun Fun Fun. And while I adore the excitement and unparalleled buzz SXSW generates, the intimacy of Fx3 has made it my favorite of Austin’s fests.
